LOCKPORT, Ill. (Feb. 1, 2007) – One of Lockport’s best known sports bar/restaurants is about to become Illinois’ newest off-track wagering operation when Trackside OTB at Fat Sam’s Bar & Grill located at 1225 East 9th Street, has its official Grand Opening on Friday, Feb. 2, at 5:30 p.m. hosted by owner Sam LaRocco.

Grand opening ceremonies, hosted by Arlington Park television personality Lauren Massarella, begin at 5:45 p.m. and will include welcoming remarks from Arlington Park President Roy Arnold and Lockport Mayor Tim Murphy. Mayor Murphy will cut the ribbon at 6 p.m. and place a ceremonial wager on one of the races being simulcast into the facility.

The first 100 guests will receive a free Arlington Park polo shirt.

Fat Sam’s, a popular sports bar and grill for viewing Chicagoland and national sporting events, is the major tenant in the Clover Ridge Complex on the east side of Lockport and is approximately one mile west from the planned exit ramp from the Interstate 355 extension, currently under construction for opening later this year.

The facility seats 300 and pari-mutuel wagering and viewing simulcast horse races will be available throughout the 7,200 square foot facility. More than 50 flat panel HDTV-ready plasma and LCD televisions will be available for viewing simulcast horse racing day and night seven days a week from Arlington Park as well as Illinois’ other Thoroughbred and harness tracks plus race tracks from coast to coast, Canada, South Africa, Australia and Dubai.

Fat Sam’s Bar & Grill featuring Trackside OTB is the ninth Illinois Trackside location, and the fourth to be housed within an existing business. Illinois’ other Trackside OTBs are located in Arlington Heights, Chicago, Waukegan, Rockford, East Moline, South Elgin, South Beloit and McHenry.